#CityPrideSTL

What first started as a simple play off of a local beer name has since evolved into a community outreach project for LGBTQIA St. Louisans.

My name is Caitlin, and I am a creative freelancer based out of St. Louis. My project, City PrideSTL, fosters a sense of community by connecting LGBTQ folks in the area with each other.

When you wear a City Pride t-shirt, you are celebrating what makes you proud to be a part of the thriving LGBTQ community in St. Louis. It is an opportunity to connect with other proud citizens and be visible. It is about being authentically you, and radiating positivity!

My goal with this project is to spread good vibes across the greater St. Louis area and create community among LGBTQ folks. This may happen when someone compliments a stranger wearing a City Pride shirt. Or perhaps when meeting at one of the open photo shoots I host.

On about a monthly basis, I invite anyone and everyone to celebrate their City Pride. For the cost of a t-shirt, participants receive shots to share on social media to help spread the word about City Pride while enjoying a fun easy-going photo shoot with others in the community.

I have had about a dozen participants so far and interest continues to grow. At the same time, I am learning and refining my methods to find what works best. As I continue into the next coming months, I want to do more with my project and highlight individuals’ personal stories by offering them an opportunity and safe space to share theirs.

While the community has showed me its supportive ways in the past, I feel that it is only right to pay that forward. For each City Pride t-shirt sold, a portion is donated to area LGBTQ nonprofits.

With extra support, I will be able to share the celebration of City Pride with a wider audience and recycle that good energy back into the community, ultimately connecting more people.

Of course, no one needs a t-shirt to celebrate their pride … but it’s a catalyst for community, and it’s among others that celebration truly happens.

To view City Pride STL apparel, visit etsy.com/shop/calexlal or to see photos from the project, visit facebook.com/calexlalonetsy